I'm looking to get some additional lighting for my interior -- for the look, yes, but also b/c w/ not extra light, it gets awfully dark and scary. OK, just dark.

I don't want no bright disco or anything overbearing , just something more subtle.

I am interested in the completely useless but fun cup holder illumination. Does that alone give enough light to see the consol area?

What else you recommending? What's your pleasure?

 

Cold cathodes under the dash and seat seems to provide a good amount of light for those night drives~ ^.^

You can also rewire the dash compartment light to always stay on. The AC lights can also be changed to brighter LEDs with a bit of know how!

 

Check out the Light kits at www.randode.com.

 

The cold cathodes can be rather bright, LEDs are a little more subtle IMO. After cruising with the LEDs on 99% of the time, when I turn them off, the Box does seem really dark...

 

Yeah, I think I'd rather go w/ the LED's -- rather have it subtle. Thanks for the help so far.

What/where to purchase? (I'm checking the randode site right now, but they are advertising the 12x brighter cold cathodes -- too bright for my taste)

 

Door handle lights are a nice touch.

 

i havent dont anything with the back yet but as far as the front goes i swapped out cold cathodes for street force leds that are some of the brightest lights i have seen so far and aiming them back towards were the pedals are they dont shine anyf further up than the seat if that helps any

 

www.randode.com

Randy's a really cool guy and will hook you up...hit him up through email though cause his PM box is always full...real quality kit too, did the install myself with the easy to follow instructions




JC

 

Do you guys wire up you lights to be on all the time?

I'm planning on having them wired up with the dome light,
so when the door is opened or I turn the dome lite on I
get underdash and underseat. I'd also like to add some
white or (matching) blue cold cathodes to the headliner
in the trunk area. Just give better illumination where it
would be needed, while still keeping the street cool.

 

you would wire them up to a switch or to the headlight switch. or just piggyback them to any other existing interior lights that are on while yer headlights are on. many options. , alot of wire will be run all throught the car tho.

 

my lights aren't programmed to be on all the time...Randode's kits come with a on/off switch...Bill (scionspecialistvegas) just came out with a kit which automatically turns the interior cathodes on when a door is opened

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43404






JC

 

Cathodes under the dash and seats are bright but because of their location they don't shine upwards so it just lights up the footwells nicely. To light up anything above that LEDs would probably be better because they are smaller and more directional. With that note be careful not to get an LED with too small of a viewing angle or it will look like a spotlight.

 

Cup holder illumination is actually kinda handy. My wifes saturn has small lights in the cup holders and it makes it a lot easier to sit your beverage in it while you're driving at night. That's the only interior light mod I'm planning on doing, and possibly cold cathodes or LEDs that are wired with the dome light.

 

Yes, yes... excellent info. I'd like the lights to come on when the overhead is turned on and/or door opened. But ALSO w/out the dome when desired for night driving, night um, you know, mood inhancement...

Do you know if I connected it to the dome light for that purpose, would it still be possible to add an 'on/off' switch to turn on the mod lighting when desired w/out activating the dome?

 

street force leds are 180 degree viewing www.streetforceleds.com they are the most insane leds i have ever seen and would recomend them to anyone

 

id go with the luxury lights from DAD that mount to the seat belt posts and the c-pillar brace

 

Yeah, you should be able to wire them up that way. You're going to need a diode though.

 

Can you elaborate on that? My thought was connecting one ground to the door switch (I'm assuming it's ground because I've seen it that way on other cars), one ground through a switch, and have a common hot. The lights would activate via the door switch when the door was opened and when it was closed they could be activated with the switch. Since it is just ground if both were activated it wouldn't cause any problems.

 

I put a set of these:

http://www.radlites.com/led_body_mounts_lighting.htm

IN my rear side window surround and wired them to the dome light, they light up the cargo area nicely and are not too expensive or ugly. I wnat to get another set for the other side for symmetry. They sell these on ebay for a few less $ apiece.

I also wired in a set of red LED's above my rearviw mirror for front cabin lighting, the red does not mess up your night vision as badly and I need to see CD's etc, not my feet.

The front lights are wired in to a lighted toggle placed in the switch blanks in the dash.

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I'm w/ Chadfo on the elaboration request. Still, I've got more info from this thread than I was hoping for, so thank you all.

This has helped me think through various lighting options. I've never added my own light, so I'm coming in fresh. I will be trying the reas side surround -- thanks turbosnow.